Finances Look Good For City Deltona Revenue Enough For Incorporation, Panel Learns

December 21, 1986|By Lorena Oropeza of The Sentinel Staff

DELTONA — Members of a citizens committee studying incorporation learned Thursday that by weighing estimates of expected revenue against total expenditure, Deltona could generate enough money to finance a city.

The total cost of providing basic municipal services would be at least $6.8 million, said Dick Kelton, county director of development and code administration. If residents wished to receive better municipal services, the city budget would be slightly more than $8 million, he said.

In an earlier report, the committee learned that anticipated revenue of an incorporated Deltona would be about $8 million.

Both estimates include funding for 10 departments: police, fire, building and code enforcement, parks and recreation, transportation, planning and zoning, solid waste, animal control, administration and public works.

But Ernest Thiersch, a committee member, said the estimates do not include the cost of initially outfitting these departments or the ''schedule of cash flow'' -- how long Deltona would have to wait after incorporation to receive money from local and state taxes.

Thiersch, an opponent of incorporation, also pointed out that the $6.8 million sum -- the estimate that falls within expected city revenues -- provides for the same level of service that residents currently receive as part of three special taxing districts.

''If we are just going to stay at the base level, why are we going to all the trouble of incorporation?'' he said.

But Mary Lou Foster, a committee member favoring incorporation, said the estimates justify the five years she and her allies have tried to convince other residents they would be better off if Deltona became a city.

''I think the people of Deltona deserve to know what the facts are,'' she said. ''It all boils down to cast-iron facts that we have enough money to run a city and we'll be getting more money because this city is going to grow and grow.''

The estimates prepared by Kelton allot between $238,000 to $336,000 for a planning and zoning department, including the cost of buying office equipment. In addition, for a minimum level of service: administration would cost at least $100,000; transportation, about $10,000; solid waste, $100,000; and animal control, $48,000.

At an earlier meeting, committee members learned the cost of police and fire protection would be about a total of $3 million.

One advantage of incorporation cannot be priced, said Richard Hintermeier, vice chairman of the committee. ''As a city, Deltona would have more control over its own destiny. I have nothing against the county government whatsoever, but it can only do so much,'' he said.

The committee hopes to make a recommendation on incorporation to the county council by January. Their next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 30 at the Deltona Fire Station, 1685 Providence Blvd.